When You're With Me
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Collection of my Kobayashi/Tohru drabbles brought over from my tumblr!
1. Valentine

**Well now that Maid Dragon has its own category on FFnet, I'll be posting all my little drabbles here now!**

 **Blame my followers. They only encouraged me to write for these two gay idiots and their dragon daughter and now I'm hooked.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon**

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Chapter 1. Valentine

When Kobayashi had left the apartment that morning, she'd sent out a silent prayer to the universe itself that nothing too crazy would happen today.

She found herself making that wish just about every day now, but it wasn't always granted, considering the company she was keeping back at home.

She merely went to work as usual and kept her fingers crossed. She hadn't even remembered about Valentine's Day until she'd gotten into the office and heard most of her male co-workers mumbling about how they still needed to buy last-minute gifts for their wives or girlfriends.

 _Oh_ , Kobayashi thinks briefly. _I guess today is that holiday… I doubt Tohru knows about it. It might be best if it stays that way._

So she goes about work as per usual that day, helping her colleagues whenever it's necessary, and deadpanning her usual responses to her strict boss (though since a certain dragon had paid a special visit to the office and tripped him repeatedly whenever he yelled at her, he'd lightened up significantly).

By the time the day is done and Kobayashi has wished everyone farewell, the spirit of the holiday is really in the air. The town hadn't been like this that morning, but now there are red balloons tied outside of houses and shops, and rose petals littering the sidewalks after people rushed to get bouquets home.

As she passes by the grocery stores and bakeries, just about every place is having sales on chocolate. Briefly, Kobayashi calculates her income for the month and decides she can spare a bit of money.

So she buys an eclair and a few small chocolates, has them packaged up, and brings them along with her on her way home.

"Now to see what Tohru's been up to all day." She makes her way back to the apartment and up the stairs until she comes to her own door and knocks. "Tohru, Kanna-chan? I'm home."

Within seconds, an exuberant patter of footsteps rushes to the other side of the door to unlock it. Kobayashi is greeted by Tohru's vibrant and enthusiastic smile.

"Welcome home, Kobayashi-san! I've just gotten back from picking Kanna up from school!"

"Good job. Thanks." Kobayashi enters, removes her shoes, and brings her little pink box into the kitchen. She's waiting for Tohru to ask what it is, but there seems to be an even more pressing matter on the blonde girl's mind.

"Kobayashi-san!"

"What is it?"

"Kanna, show her!"

Puzzled, Kobayashi turns around to watch the two of them. Kanna pulls out a small heart-shaped card from her backpack and holds it up for them both to see.

"We made it in school today," she says. "The teacher says it's Valentine's Day. A day when people give each other chocolates and flowers. Some of the boys in my class tried to give me some, but my friend didn't let them. She gave me some, though."

"As expected of Kanna!" Tohru praises, patting her head. "Manipulating those foolish, inferior humans into giving up their spoils."

"Hey-"

"Oh, right!"

Before Kobayashi can finish her complaint, Tohru picks up the card from Kanna's hands. "Kobayashi-san, what is it?" She turns it upside-down and over, examining the odd shape.

"Ah, it's a card shaped like a heart. Kids make them a lot these days for Valentine's."

"Heart?" Tohru parrots. "This looks nothing like a human heart."

"You're speaking from experience, aren't you?"

"Of course!" With that proud declaration, Tohru gives Kanna her card back. "It's so strange, how humans only give each other chocolate and gifts on certain days of the year, and then for the rest of the year they're greedy, selfish creatures. Oh! But not you, Kobayashi-san! You're-"

"I know, I know," she sighs, holding Tohru off with her hand. "But you know, some people do give their loved ones presents throughout the year, not just on holidays and birthdays. It's just traditional to do it on these days in particular. But you can't be buying stuff for other people every day unless you're filthy rich."

"Loved ones?" Tohru tilts her head.

"Right. We don't just give away chocolates and flowers to total strangers. Typically, it's just to the people you love. Like someone you're dating or married to-"

"Kyaaaaa!" Tohru's sudden shriek cuts her off, making Kobayashi flinch.

"Geez, what was that for?"

"I-I haven't gotten anything for you today, Kobayashi-san! Even though I love you! I need to go get something right away! I'll give you a hundred human hearts!"

"Don't!" she yelps. "Tohru, it's fine. I didn't expect you to get me anything. You never knew about this holiday, anyway. And people give chocolate, not human body parts."

"B-But I need to express my love for Kobayashi-san! W-What can I do?" Eyes watering, she clasps her hands together and whimpers, desperate to prove herself. Kobayashi calms her down with a pat between the horns.

"I said it's fine. You do enough around here every day, Tohru. That expresses how much you appreciate my letting you stay here."

A pink blush rises up in Tohru's cheeks, and her voice drops down a few tones.

"N-Not just that…" she mumbles. "O-Of course I appreciate Kobayashi-san letting me stay here, but that's not the only thing. I… love you for who you are, Kobayashi-san. E-Even if it's foolish to harbor such feelings, I… I can't help it…"

And Kobayashi can't help but smile. She ruffles Tohru's hair a little and smiles.

"It's fine. I don't say it enough, but thank you, Tohru. For all you do. So to show my gratitude…"

She turns around to pick up the little pink box. Tohru perks up and peers over her shoulder, and Kanna scurries up to strain onto her tip-toes to look as well.

Kobayashi opens the box to reveal the treats inside. She hears both girls gasp in awe at the sight of the food. Kobayashi picks up three of the smaller chocolates and hands them to Kanna.

"Here. I know you already got some from your friends at school, but these are from me."

As she deposits them into Kanna's upturned palms, she takes in the little dragon's expression of wonder and surprise.

"Ooooh…" Kanna looks the chocolates over, then looks up to her. "Kobayashi, thank you." Waddling forward, she hugs her legs while still keeping a firm hold on the chocolates. Kobayashi returns the hug with a hand on her back.

"You're such a good girl, Kanna. You deserve them. Just don't eat them on the sofa, okay?"

"Mm." With a nod, Kanna scurries away into the living room. Tohru watches her go, radiating a mixture of emotions.

"Kanna, so fortunate! To be given a gift by Kobayashi-san on such a day means she truly loves you!"

"And for you."

"…Eh?" Tohru turns her head and finds Kobayashi holding the eclair out for her. Tohru's face turns bright red this time. "E-Ehhhhh? F-For me? F-From Kobayashi-san? I-It's a gift for me?"

"That's what I said, isn't it?"

"B-B-But I did not get any such gift for you-"

"It's fine. You're always cleaning up around here and helping me out. That's how you show your appreciation of me. So I'll show mine this way." She holds out the eclair closer to Tohru and waits expectantly for her to accept it.

But Tohru seems frozen in place, and even from her spot, Kobayashi can sense the heat wafting off of her. The girl slowly reaches both hands up to clutch at her chest and lets out a shaky breath.

"It feels strange…"

"Eh? What does?"

"My chest… it's tight and throbbing so fast…"

"O-Oy… please don't have a heart-attack in the kitchen…" Kobayashi reaches out and takes one of Tohru's gloved hands, and gently extends her arm. She places the eclair in her palm, then makes sure Tohru's holding onto it. "Here. Please take it, Tohru."

And she watches Tohru's sunset-colored eyes light up and fill with tears at the same time.

"K-Kobayashi-san-!" Keeping hold of the eclair, Tohru throws her arms around her, squeezing her fervently. "Th-Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Kobayashi sighs, but returns the hug, patting Tohru's back softly.

"You're welcome." She can feel Tohru's heart thrumming with excitement, and joyous little giggles are bubbling through her body.

Kobayashi is content to stay that way for a moment. It's nice to be close to her sometimes…

At last, Tohru pulls away, quickly checking over the eclair to make sure it isn't damaged.

"It looks delicious! Can I eat it, Kobayashi-san?"

"Well it shouldn't spoil your supper, and today's a special day. So sure, by all means. That's what it's for."

"Kyaaa, thank you! Oh-! B-But I don't want to eat it either. It's Kobayashi-san's precious gift! Maybe I should preserve it in ice. I'll make a shrine for it and worship there every day!"

"Just eat it."

"Yes, ma'am!"

So Tohru takes her first bite of the eclair, humming and smiling as she enjoys the flavor of it. Kobayashi watches in amusement and eats the last little chocolate for herself.

"Is it good?" she wonders.

Tohru beams back at her.

"Yes! It's absolutely delicious!"

"Glad to hear it."

Kobayashi enjoys the sight of her maid savoring the treat to her heart's content, positively glowing with delight as she does so.

Kobayashi smiles, as she most often seems to do around her.

 _Happy Valentine's Day, Tohru._

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 **A/N: So evidently there's a Valentine's chapter in the manga, which I found out about a while after I wrote this haha**

 **Please review!**


	2. Nightmare

**Another Kobayashi-san fic I wrote a while back on my tumblr, probably around the time episode 4 or so aired. Unlike the previous chapter, this one is very different and has an entirely different tone. Sort of a continuation from what happened at the end of episode 1, but in the current point of the series. Dragon angst and fluff. Enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon.**

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Chapter 2. Nightmare

"Kobayashi. Kobayashi."

The sound of her name rouses her from a deep slumber. As she blinks her eyes open, Kobayashi finds herself in her room in total darkness. A glance at her alarm clock tells her it's just past 3 in the morning.

Moaning slightly, she squints at the person at her bedside who is peering up at her with wide eyes.

"Kanna-chan?" she mumbles. "What is it?"

This is a first. Since they'd moved into their new apartment where Kanna and Tohru shared a room, the little dragon had never come to wake Kobayashi in the middle of the night. She didn't think there was anything that could scare Kanna, and if there was, surely Tohru could handle it much better than Kobayashi herself could.

Kobayashi is just trying to clear her head from the residual fog that sleep leaves behind when Kanna gives her answer.

"Tohru-sama."

Kobayashi opens her eyes a little wider and slowly pushes herself up from her pillow.

"What do you mean? What about her?"

Kanna scuffs her bare feet against the floor nervously.

"She won't wake up…"

"…Huh?"

Immediately Kobayashi straightens her back, not paying any attention to the slight soreness at the base of her spine. A small surge of alarm shoots through her but she tries to keep herself calm.

"W-What do you mean? Did you have a nightmare like that?"

She hopes she guessed correctly with that assumption. But to her dismay, Kanna shakes her head.

"Not a nightmare. I woke up because Tohru-sama was making noise. But I couldn't wake her up. I'm scared…"

And for the first time now Kobayashi can see the fear in her eyes.

Kanna has known this fear before. When Tohru had left the dragons behind for the human world, Kanna had thought she'd died. She'd thought she'd lost her. And she is starting to feel that same fear again…

Kobayashi throws the blankets off herself in a panic and jumps out of bed with a swiftness that should've been impossible for her with her aching back. But her concern for Tohru is much greater than any physical pain.

"Stay here," she tells Kanna, picking her up and sitting her down on the bed. "I'll go help Tohru."

Kanna wipes her eyes and nods. Kobayashi can only spare a second to pat her head reassuringly before she takes off through the dark apartment.

She skids on the wooden floors out of her own bedroom, then rushes to round the corner to Kanna's and Tohru's room. Grabbing the door frame, she comes to a halt.

"Tohru!"

Even without her glasses she can see a lump in the blankets and a large green tail dangling over the side of the bed. But even at the sound of her voice, Tohru doesn't stir.

Kobayashi hurries to the bed and pulls the blankets down a bit. Tohru is curled up on her side, almost unmoving. But right away, Kobayashi can hear and see just how hard she's breathing. When she reaches a hand down to touch her face, her skin is torrid with heat and slick with sweat.

"Tohru? Oy…"

Kobayashi gives her a slight shake, but still, Tohru doesn't wake.

This had happened before. It had happened on their first night alone together, only then, Tohru had been able to escape her nightmares. But this time she is trapped in them.

Kobayashi can't imagine what kind of horrible pain she must be reliving. Judging by the physical effects it's having on her, it's clearly poignant and horrible.

"Tohru? Tohru!"

Kobayashi shakes the girl's shoulder, but still she doesn't wake. The only difference is a small whimper that tumbles from her lips. Her body is trembling, and her breathing becomes even more labored by the second.

The panic courses through Kobayashi as she tries to think of what she can do. At the very least, she decides to lay Tohru on her back so she might be able to breathe more easily.

So she slips her arms beneath her maid's side and tries to shift her weight. But the second her hand brushes against Tohru's right side, the girl lets out a strangled cry of pain. Kobayashi quickly lies her down and withdraws her hands.

"W-What? What happened?"

But she soon realizes what it must have been. She must have inadvertently touched the wound on Tohru's right side, the spot where she'd been impaled by a massive sword. She must be reliving that excruciating pain right now in her nightmares.

"Tohru…" Kobayashi sits on the bed and leans over her frantically, pressing a hand against Tohru's heaving collar. "Her heart's going crazy…" Swallowing thickly, Kobayashi reaches out with her free hand to touch her cheek. "Tohru? Tohru, please. Wake up. Please."

She's scared. She doesn't know what else she can do for her. She doesn't know how she can fix this. She knows Tohru is suffering and she just wants it to stop.

"Please… Tohru…"

Then, as if she'd broken the curse cast upon her, Tohru's eyes fly open. Her voice cracks in another small wail, and her chest starts heaving even more deeply than before. She gasps so hard she chokes on it and tears start spilling down her cheeks.

Kobayashi can feel Tohru's heart jolt beneath her palm, and it continues to beat painfully. But she's just thankful she's awake now.

"Tohru!" Desperately, Kobayashi leans over her, caressing her cheek with one hand and rubbing circles over her heart with the other. "Tohru, it's okay! It's okay. It was just a dream."

Tohru's voice leaks out in whimpers between her labored breaths. Kobayashi can immediately tell that this is much worse than the first night. Even if her mind is now free, Tohru's body is still trapped in that nightmare. She needs to calm down, or else Kobayashi fears she might hurt herself.

"Tohru… it's okay…" she repeats, stroking through her bangs. "I'm here."

Tohru continues to struggle for breath, her hands clutching the sheets so tightly the blood drains from her knuckles. Swallowing thickly, she tries to find her voice past the sobs.

"K… Ko-"

"Shh." Kobayashi brushes her thumb over Tohru's forehead, clearing away some of the sweat. "It's okay. I'm here. Just breathe, Tohru."

Tohru sniffles, and more tears fall back and dribble down over her temples.

Kobayashi can tell she's still in a panic. Her breathing is clipped and shallow now, and her heartbeat is frantic and hard. Kobayashi moves her hands slowly, taking care not to touch Tohru's right side as she coaxes her up into a sitting position. She can feel Tohru's hands clutching at her back, trembling.

"That's fine," Kobayashi murmurs over her shoulder. "Just hold onto me, Tohru. I won't leave. I promise."

Now that they're both sitting up, Kobayashi allows herself to press close to Tohru. She's shaking so badly, and her pulse is still thick and out of control. Kobayashi rubs her back slowly, running her palms in soothing circles.

"Breathe," she reminds her. "It's okay, Tohru."

Tohru continues to cry, sobbing weakly into her shoulder despite the fervent grip of her hands and the jarring beat of her heart.

Kobayashi waits and holds her for as long as Tohru needs her to. She measures the minutes not by how many seconds are in them, but by how many times Tohru's heart slams against her chest. Kobayashi doesn't stop whispering soothing phrases to her, reminding her it's all over.

"I'm here, Tohru. You're safe now."

And Tohru finally understands that this is reality. Gradually her pulse begins to slow, and her breathing deepens.

Kobayashi is flooded with relief as she feels Tohru's condition changing for the better. She waits for a long while, until Tohru's heart has calmed down and her breathing has slowed to a normal pace. Kobayashi pets through her long, loose hair and murmurs softly to her.

"Tohru… are you okay?"

She's always so happy and energetic during the daytime. But at night, when the memories of her past attack her, Tohru reveals her weaknesses.

This is when she is at her most vulnerable. Kobayashi longs to help her through it.

She hears a small tremor of breath. Tohru loosens her grip on her back and inhales slowly.

"Y…Yes…"

And Kobayashi lets out a breath of her own.

"I'm so glad…"

She holds onto Tohru for a while longer, not only because she knows Tohru needs it, but because Kobayashi herself needs it, too.

She has no idea what time it is, but she can assume it must be half past three in the morning by now. And though this ordeal has undoubtedly drained Tohru even more than it's drained herself, Kobayashi isn't surprised to find the girl refusing to go back to sleep.

But clearly, Tohru is beginning to feel guilty about everything now. She sniffles a little, letting out another sigh.

"My apologies, Kobayashi-san. You have work tomorrow and you need your rest…"

"Tohru." Kobayashi pulls herself back, not enough to let her go, but just enough so they can see each other's eyes now. Tohru's are still watery and scared, but they are more guilty than anything. Kobayashi looks back at her with a firm, unwavering expression. "I don't give a damn about that. I don't care about work. All that matters is that you're okay right now."

And she means it.

For the majority of her life, she hasn't had anyone to care about. But now she does, and Kobayashi has found that they matter to her more than anything else in the world.

Her words cause Tohru to start crying again, but they are tears of relief this time, not pain or guilt.

After a few more minutes, Tohru has stopped crying. But when Kobayashi makes an effort to move away, Tohru clings tighter to her back. Kobayashi pats her shoulder gently.

"I know. I promised I'd stay with you, didn't I?"

Tohru nods. Kobayashi wipes a few of her tears away.

"I'll stay with you tonight, Tohru. Would you like that?"

Tohru can't even find the words to say it, so she just nods vigorously, sniffling and whimpering more and more. Kobayashi pats her head this time.

"Then I will. But I've gotta tell Kanna-chan you're okay first. She was so worried about you. She's the one who came to get me."

Tohru looks up past her bangs.

"K-Kanna…?"

Kobayashi nods.

"Yeah. She was scared for you. So I've gotta go tell her you're all right. I'll be back in a minute, okay? Promise."

She reaches out her hand and extends her pinkie finger.

Tohru hesitates and keeps her hands on Kobayashi's shirt. Kobayashi can see it in her eyes, that she's been made a million promises before, and she's probably had every single one of them broken.

But even after all of that, Tohru is willing to trust her now. She reaches out and curls her pinkie around hers.

Kobayashi swears she won't ever betray that trust.

Slowly, Tohru lets her go. Kobayashi dips her head as a silent way of thanking Tohru for trusting her. Then, she slips off the bed and leaves the room, only to return to her own bedroom next door.

Kanna is curled up in her bed, still awake, though just barely. Her concern for Tohru is likely all that's keeping her up. The second she sees Kobayashi, however, she perks up in the darkness.

"Kobayashi… Tohru-sama?"

"Tohru's all right," she assures her. Kobayashi sits on her bed and pats Kanna's head. "I'm glad you came to get me. Tohru was in a lot of pain."

Kanna nods and snuggles into her side.

"I know. That's why I came to get you. Dragons have bad nightmares about their pasts sometimes. It's like you're reliving it for real. If it's painful enough, just remembering the pain can almost kill us. And Tohru-sama has the most pain…"

Kobayashi listens in subdued silence.

 _Her nightmares could almost kill her…?_ She shudders at the thought. Images of Tohru's pained expression run back through her mind. _I guess it could really happen if it puts enough strain on her body…_

Kobayashi shakes the thoughts away as Kanna continues.

"But Tohru-sama is safe here with Kobayashi. Kanna is, too."

Kanna smiles and throws her little arms around her stomach. Kobayashi hugs her in return.

There's no way to describe this feeling. Even though it's a lot of responsibility, it doesn't feel heavy or pressing.

It almost feels… nice. She's never had people who relied on her before, people she could help, people she could keep safe…

Eventually, a yawn from Kanna reminds her of the time. Kobayashi helps the little dragon lie down in her bed.

"Kanna, you can sleep here tonight. I'm going to stay with Tohru. Is that okay?"

"Mm. I like Kobayashi's bed."

"Glad to hear it."

Kobayashi stands and pulls the ruffled blankets up to tuck Kanna in. And even before she's left the room, she can hear the little dragon snoring softly. Hearing confirmation that Tohru was all right must have been all that she needed.

Kobayashi smiles fondly at her before leaving her bedroom.

She stops in the kitchen, opening the fridge and wincing at the brightness as she takes a bottle of water. She grabs a clean dish towel, dampens it in the sink, and finally makes her way back to Tohru.

She's still sitting upright with her back leaning against the headboard. Even in the dark, Kobayashi can see she has a hand over her right side. As she approaches, Tohru quickly puts both hands in her lap instead.

"I'm back," Kobayashi murmurs. "Kanna-chan's glad you're all right. She's asleep now."

"I see…" Tohru's finally gotten her voice back after the ordeal. "I'm glad she's all right, too."

Kobayashi sits on the bed beside her.

"You're covered in sweat, Tohru. Close your eyes."

And for once, Tohru doesn't make any energetic comments about licking herself clean or anything of that nature. She simply does as she's told and lets Kobayashi run the cloth along her forehead, cheeks, and neck. Kobayashi is gentle with her motions, and she's able to feel the heat soaking into the cloth as it leaves Tohru's skin.

Once she's finished, she places the cloth on the bedside table and hands her the water bottle.

"You should drink. You've lost a lot of fluids."

Again, Tohru simply nods. She downs almost the entire bottle, and Kobayashi praises her for that. When she takes the bottle back, she finishes the rest of the water herself, then puts the empty bottle on the nightstand as well.

From there, she puts her hand over Tohru's in her lap, then looks to the girl's right side.

"How are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

Tohru shakes her head.

"Not anymore. Thanks to Kanna and you, Kobayashi-san."

"I'm glad. Let's get some sleep."

She coaxes Tohru to lie back down, and Kobayashi lies beside her. There's a feeling of weight shifting against the mattress as Tohru slides her tail off the edge and lets it balance her.

They've only slept together like this once since they've started living together, and on that night, Kobayashi had refrained from touching Tohru. After all, they'd only just met at the time, and she wasn't sure what kind of contact was permitted.

But now that they've known each other and have been together for so long, and especially after what had just happened tonight… things are different.

Tohru is still getting over the pain and fear of her nightmare, and Kobayashi is still trying to get over her own fears. She'd never been more scared in her entire life than she had been tonight at the prospect of Tohru's distress. She never wanted to see her in such pain ever again.

That's part of the reason why she turns onto her side to face Tohru and opens her arms up to her. The other part is something entirely different that she doesn't care to think too hard about right now.

Once Tohru sees the invitation in her open arms, she can't help but smile and snuggle close, wrapping her arms around Kobayashi's sides and back. She's careful not to let her horns bump against Kobayashi's chin.

In turn, Kobayashi lightly hugs her shoulders and begins to stroke through her hair once more.

For a few moments, they are silent as they try to collect their thoughts and get their bearings. Kobayashi is absent-mindedly moving her hands when she accidentally brushes over Tohru's injured side again. She feels Tohru gasp and tense up, and instantly moves her hand away.

"Ah, s-sorry."

But just before she can let go of Tohru altogether, the other girl stops her.

"No… It's okay. I thought it would hurt again, but it doesn't." She peers up at Kobayashi, and even in the darkness without her glasses, she can see the sparkle in Tohru's eyes. "In fact, I think it feels better. Just a little."

Kobayashi feels another small smile coming on. Slowly, she moves her hand back along Tohru's ribcage, feeling her breathe, until her palm settles against the old wound. Tohru doesn't tense up or flinch this time. She simply lets out a long, steady breath and closes her eyes. She finally seems like she'll be okay now.

Kobayashi pulls her in just a little closer.

The first night, she'd commented on how cramped her old bed had been with both of them in it. But this bed is a bit larger. And when they are pressed close against one another like this, it doesn't feel cramped at all.

"Night, Tohru," she murmurs.

And Tohru replies in a small, grateful voice.

"Thank you, Kobayashi-san. Goodnight."

Kobayashi holds her, keeping herself awake for a while longer, until she's certain Tohru is asleep again. Her heartbeat is steady, and her breathing is calm and peaceful.

She'd been so scared for her tonight. But now, she's so relieved she's all right.

Kobayashi can't stop herself. She dips her head and presses a small kiss in between Tohru's horns before allowing sleep to come.

She decides she'll ride Tohru to work in the morning.

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 **A/N:** **It was tricky writing this. Because I know these two aren't together, and I don't want to impose the romance in their relationship this early on, but I still want them to be closer than they are in canon.**

 **I wanted to do fluff/comfort obviously, and I get the feeling Kobayashi isn't really a person for close physical contact. But I feel I had to let her get close to Tohru in this. Something I wanna see in canon so badly is a comfort scene like this with them both really close and helping each other feel better. Season 2 please.**

 **Please review!**


	3. Ordinary Day

**I just love these two so much. I had to write more for them. This was another I whipped up a few months ago.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon.**

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Chapter 3. Ordinary Day

For the most part, it's been another ordinary day in the Kobayashi household.

Well, as ordinary as a day can get with a human who's living with two dragons in disguise, that is.

But Kanna's had a good, easy day at school, and Tohru's done all of her chores and enjoyed an uneventful day at home without any unwanted visitors to encroach on everyone's personal space.

All in all, Kobayashi would've deemed today as a good day.

She herself had gotten all of her work done, and she'd helped out several of her colleagues as well. She'd even gotten some of tomorrow's work done by some miracle, and the idea of having a little less pressure on her aching shoulders makes her smile now as she sits down at the kitchen table.

"So, what's for dinner?" she asks, as per usual.

Kanna scampers over and climbs up into her chair just as Tohru turns around with several plates full of food balanced on her arms, and a triumphant grin on her face.

"Tonight is a mini buffet! We have rice, pickled plums, and meat dumplings!"

As she begins making her way to the table, the word 'meat' sets Kobayashi off immediately.

"What kind of meat is it?" She watches as Tohru's tail is revealed as she comes around the counter. Tohru instantly blushes and looks away.

"It isn't my tail this time," she mumbles.

Kobayashi narrows her eyes as she scans Tohru's green scales.

"Are you sure all of it's there? Even the tip?"

"It isn't my tail!" Tohru wails. "It's pork! Pork!"

As she puffs out her cheeks in a pout, Kobayashi can't help but laugh.

"Sorry, sorry. I believe you."

Tohru pouts for a moment longer before she starts setting the food-filled plates onto the table.

"Here you go, Kanna."

"Yaaay." Though the little dragon's voice is monotone, she's genuinely excited for the food and starts digging in right away, though she still finds some difficulty in using chopsticks.

Tohru makes her way around the table and places one dish in front of her mistress.

"And for you, Kobayashi-san~"

"Thanks. It looks good."

But as Tohru is putting down the plate, a sudden jolt runs through her. The plate clatters noisily onto the table, and she nearly drops the third one she's holding as she stumbles slightly.

"Ah-"

Her stomach knocks against the table, and if it isn't for Kobayashi's quick reaction to grab the table and steady it, the whole thing might've tipped over.

"W-Whoa!" Kobayashi drops her own chopsticks and reaches out with her free hand to grab Tohru's arm. "Tohru! What happened?" She can feeling her trembling now, just a little, but it's enough to warrant concern.

Tohru swallows, flashing a brief look to her, then away again.

"I-It's nothing. I'm sorry."

"Ah, no. It's fine."

Kobayashi still isn't too good with these sort of things. She's not sure what to do. If the other person says not to worry, she doesn't know if she should trust that they're being honest, or presume they're trying to hide something.

She assumes Tohru falls into the former category, however, considering she's typically honest to the point of it being flinch-worthy.

 _Then again, she's usually honest about what makes her happy. Troubling things, she tends to conceal…_

But for the moment, Kobayashi instinctively lets her go. Tohru does her best to regain her composure and straighten herself out again.

"S-Silly me. I almost got food stains all over Kobayashi-san's work clothes. Then I might not have been able to stop myself from cleaning them with my mouth."

"We have a washing machine," Kobayashi reminds her. "But in any case, sit down and eat your food. If you're feeling dizzy, that should help."

"Right." Tohru puts her own plate down and takes her seat.

Kobayashi keeps an eye on her as they begin eating, and for the most part, things seem to have gone back to normal. Kanna talks about the day she's had at school, and Kobayashi offers a few tidbits about her own day.

But Tohru stays quiet and almost unresponsive throughout the conversations this evening. The usual bubbly brightness that had been radiating from her earlier when Kobayashi had come home has now faded. She picks at her food without gusto, as though she's forcing herself.

Kobayashi can tell something's still bothering her. She's trying to think of a way to ask about it when Kanna pushes her chair back.

"Finished. Thanks for the meal. Kobayashi, can I watch TV?"

"Hm? Ah, sure. Just keep the volume down."

"Yaaaay."

Kanna hops off her chair and heads into the living room. Figuratively, Tohru jumps at the chance to abandon her meal.

"I'll begin washing Kanna's dishes."

But before she can make a move to get up, Kobayashi makes a move to stop her.

"Tohru. You've barely touched your food. Are you all right?"

The dragon girl doesn't look at her directly.

"Yes. I-I'm just not very hungry all of a sudden…"

"Toh-ru."

The maid freezes in her place as she stands, still refusing to look at her mistress directly. Kobayashi notices she's holding onto her stomach. Evidently, Tohru isn't the type to be completely honest when something's bothering her.

Slowly, Tohru begins turning her face and looks in her direction, though her eyes are trained on the plates. Kobayashi stands as well.

"If you're not feeling well, you have to tell me," she instructs. "You're my maid, so that means it's my responsibility to take care of you if something's wrong."

She waits for Tohru's reaction, watching her swallow nervously.

"It's nothing. I'll wrap up the food I didn't finish and you can take it to work tomorrow for lunch. I should do the dishes-"

"Enough of that." Kobayashi cuts her off. Stepping closer, she puts a hand on her maid's shoulder. Tohru gasps softly and her grip on her stomach tightens.

"Are… Are you mad at me…?"

Kobayashi hums.

"Mm, not particularly. But it would be best if you'd just be honest about stuff like this. Especially when I ask you directly."

"I'm sorry…"

"It's fine."

Kobayashi keeps her hand on Tohru's shoulder, partially to convey the implied support behind the gesture, and partially to actually support Tohru. She still seems unbalanced and her breathing is a little harsh.

Kobayashi can feel small prickling pains creeping beneath her own skin, something she realizes she's only ever felt when she's worried about Tohru.

"So?" she prompts her. "Wanna tell me what's wrong?"

Tohru bites her lip, nails curling into her uniform over her stomach.

"It's just… this old wound again…"

Kobayashi had a feeling it might've been something like that.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes…"

"Enough to make you lose your appetite?"

"…Yes…"

"That's no good. You've gotta eat. Especially since you're a dragon."

"I-I tried," Tohru whimpers. "I don't want… any of the food we've spent your money on going to waste. But I just…"

"It hurts that much, huh?"

Tohru nods.

Kobayashi sighs.

"Then you don't have to worry about the food, Tohru. Worry about yourself."

Tohru finally lifts her gaze to meet Kobayashi's. And Kobayashi can tell this is still new to her, having her wellbeing come first.

"Let me guess," she begins. "In the dragon world, it's survival of the fittest. And since you're one of the strongest dragons there is, there's never been a reason for anyone else to be concerned about you. If you showed weakness, they'd probably try to kill you, right?"

Tohru's eyes widen, and her jaw drops just a little bit.

"Y-Yes. That's exactly how it is."

"I see. But, Tohru-" Kobayashi pats her shoulder again and offers a smile. "You're in _this_ world now, remember? Here, not everyone can be strong all the time. It's okay to show weakness from time to time. We take care of each other."

With that much said, she watches Tohru's reaction. Her sunset-colored eyes begin to water, and when she tries to speak, her voice cracks.

"K… Kobayashi…san…"

Kobayashi puts her arm around the small of Tohru's back and helps ease her away from the table.

"Come on. If you can't eat, let's go sit somewhere comfortable."

Slowly, she guides Tohru into the living room, where Kanna is all but glued to the TV.

Kobayashi leads her maid to the couch on the other side of the room. She can still feel Tohru trembling a little, and the girl hasn't let go of her stomach and side.

Kobayashi knows Tohru isn't just playing it up, either. There were times when she might've acted this way for attention, but when she's really in pain Tohru does her best not to let it be known.

 _Must be a pride complex among dragons…_

They reach the couch, and Kobayashi helps Tohru down before taking a seat beside her. Tohru leans back heavily against the cushions, still holding onto her sore side. She closes her eyes and tries to slow her breathing. Kobayashi can't help but feel a surge of guilt run through her.

"I wish I could take you to a doctor or something," she comments. "But I think there are a few things they'd notice, and that could cause problems."

"It's okay," Tohru mumbles. "It should be fine…"

"I thought the last time I asked you about it, you'd said it didn't hurt anymore? So what happened? Did you run into something and make it sore again?"

Tohru shakes her head, opening her eyes wearily.

"No. Usually… it will start to hurt again if the god who impaled me is angered… or if he is drawing nearer to my location…"

Kobayashi stiffens.

"That doesn't sound good. Is he coming after you?"

Tohru shakes her head.

"No. He thinks he killed me. But it seems… my body still reacts to his presence somehow…"

"Mmm… I guess that makes sense. Sorry it hurts so much."

"It's okay. Hopefully it won't last long."

"But if it does, you have to tell me," Kobayashi demands. "If you're still in pain tomorrow morning, let me know. That's an order."

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

"Good."

Satisfied, Kobayashi reaches up to pat Tohru's head gently.

The dragon makes a sound somewhere between a sigh and a whimper and leans into her touch.

Kobayashi feels this is the least she can do for her.

This, and perhaps one more thing.

"I was worried, you know."

"…Eh?"

Blinking, Tohru looks to her, puzzled. Kobayashi reiterates.

"It scared me a little, seeing you like that. When you stumbled earlier, I didn't know what to think."

Obviously, she'd made it evident with her actions that she'd been worried about Tohru, and still is. But there's something oddly pleasant about being able to tell that person you're worried about them.

Clearly, Tohru is flustered by the confession.

"Y-You… were worried…?"

"Of course. You told me dragons can't get sick. So I thought something must be really wrong."

"Oh… It's true that dragons can't contract bacterial illnesses and disease. But we aren't immune to food poisoning or the effects of an empty stomach. And there is… one sickness we _are_ able to contract…"

"Oh? What's that?"

Tohru dips her head, hiding her face in Kobayashi's shoulder.

"Lovesickness…"

Kobayashi sighs heavily.

"Well, I guess that makes sense, though. Those aren't bacterial diseases, after all. It also makes sense that your body can still be negatively affected by something like an old wound being aggravated. That's only natural."

"Yes…"

Tohru doesn't move from her current position. She burrows her face into Kobayashi's shoulder more, her hand still gripping her side. Kobayashi smiles.

"In that case, lie down."

"…Eh?"

"You heard me. Right here."

Tohru pulls herself away a little so she can look up at her.

"B-But-"

"Your master gave you an order."

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

With a bit of effort, Tohru draws her legs and tail up onto the couch, wincing whenever her injury bothers her. Kobayashi keeps a hand on her shoulder and helps her lie down, preventing her from rolling off the couch.

Tohru is about to lie her head down on the couch's seat cushions. But Kobayashi gently stops her and coaxes Tohru to rest her head in her lap instead.

Naturally, Tohru turns red.

"K-Kobayashi-san! C-Can I-?"

"Just be quiet for a minute, would you? I told you to let me take care of you. Lie down."

A little nervously, Tohru does as she's told. She faces away from Kobayashi, being mindful of her horns, not wanting them to dig into her mistress' thighs.

Kobayashi waits patiently for Tohru to adjust herself however is most comfortable for her, then rests a hand on the dragon girl's head.

"My mom always told me that lying down on your left side helps with stomach pains. Since your injury is on your right side, this works perfectly."

Tohru lets out a small breath.

"Your… mother told you that? How is it supposed to work…?"

"I dunno. It's probably just a placebo or something. But even when I got old enough to realize that, it still always seemed to work."

"So… even mothers will lie to their own children to help them feel better?"

"Humans are strange, aren't we? But we do whatever we have to in order to take care of the ones we love."

After that, Tohru is silent for a long while. Kobayashi can't see her expression, but judging by the way her body has lost a bit of tension, she can assume Tohru is calming down.

"You should relax," she advises her. "It won't help if you're stiff."

"B-But… being in your lap like this-"

"Should make you feel calm, not anxious. I'm not gonna hurt you, Tohru."

She can hear Tohru whimper a little at that.

"I know…"

"Then relax."

To help, Kobayashi uses her left hand to continue patting Tohru's head, ruffling her bangs just a little bit. With her right hand, she reaches out to Tohru's injured side and rests her palm lightly there. Tohru jolts a little, and a small gasp flies from her lips.

Kobayashi berates herself. _Shit!_

"S-Sorry!" she says quickly. "I should've warned you first."

"No… it's okay…"

"I thought massaging it could help," Kobayashi reasons. "But if it hurts, just tell me to stop."

"Okay."

Once Tohru has gotten her bearings again, Kobayashi begins to rub her hand over her maid's side. She kneads very lightly, running her fingers all around the sore area. She presses her palm in here and there, applying a very slight pressure, then eases off. She runs her hand down to Tohru's hip, then travels up as far as her ribs.

All the while, she can feel Tohru gradually relaxing. Her breathing becomes slow and deep, and she doesn't flinch anymore. But just to be certain, Kobayashi wants to check.

"Tohru? Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes! It feels much better. Thank you, Kobayashi-san."

"I'm glad."

Tohru does so much for her every day. The least Kobayashi can do is spoil her a little like this when she's hurt.

So she doesn't stop her ministrations on Tohru, massaging her bad side with one hand and petting though her hair with the other.

Kobayashi keeps her eyes on Kanna and on the TV ahead of her, and doesn't even notice until a while later that Tohru's fallen fast asleep in her lap. When she finally does notice, Kobayashi smiles.

"Guess she feels better. That's good."

She finally stops massaging Tohru, though she lets her hand rest on the dragon girl's side. There are times when Tohru grinds her teeth or tosses about in her sleep. But times like these, when her breathing is soft and her body is still, almost make her seem fragile. More like a human than a dragon.

Kobayashi is content to sit here for a while longer, allowing Tohru the nap she deserves.

 _S_ _he said dragons don't_ need _to sleep. But I think living with me has made her_ want _to._

Evidently, Tohru isn't the only one.

A moment later, Kanna abandons the TV, crawls across the floor, and climbs up onto the couch on Kobayashi's other side, nestling under her arm.

"Sleepy, sleepy…"

"Ah, well…" Kobayashi glances at the digital clock beneath the TV. "It's still a bit early. So a nap should be fine now, as long as we can all wake up later, brush our teeth and change, and then go to our bedrooms."

"I can do it," Kanna declares. "Nap now."

Kobayashi pats her head as well.

"Sure."

"Kobayashi, nap too."

"Well, I can't reach the remote, so I guess I might as well."

So Kanna cuddles up into her side, while Tohru continues to sleep peacefully, using her lap as a pillow. Kobayashi pulls them both in a little closer, ensuring neither of them will slip off.

 _Damn… my legs are numb…_

But Tohru's sleeping far too deeply and peacefully for Kobayashi to even consider moving her.

 _Ah, whatever._

On her other side, Kanna's asleep in seconds. Kobayashi keeps an arm around her, then leans her head back against the cushions. She closes her eyes and invites sleep to take her for a little while.

 _I guess it was a pretty ordinary day…_

* * *

 **A/N: The problem with putting all my separate drabbles into one fic is that some parts of them will seem a little redundant. In case you haven't figured it out already, I'm a sucker for scars/comfort stuff. And these two are perfect for it, but even better to always end it happily.**

 **Please review!**


	4. Home

**I wrote this right after the anime ended but forgot to post it here, sorry about that! Takes place after the anime. Just a little something for after Tohru comes back to Kobayashi.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kobayashi-san chii no Maid Dragon.**

* * *

Chapter 4. Home

Despite everything that's happened, it doesn't take too long for things to return to normal in the Kobayashi household.

Well, as normal as things are ever going to get when you're living with two dragons, of course.

After Tohru had gotten the strength to stand, straighten herself up, and open up a portal to return them home, she'd carried Kobayashi on her back with Kanna flying beside her until they'd reached the apartment.

Home.

Kobayashi had never really had a grasp of that word before.

When she was younger, she'd always called home the place where she lived with her parents. As she'd grown, 'home' had become whatever apartment she was renting that month, wherever she was tossing around her laundry every morning and crashing into a mattress every night.

But only in recent months, since she'd met Tohru and Kanna, had 'home' actually started to _mean_ something.

Once they arrive home, Tohru and Kanna change back to their human forms and stand outside the door. Right away, Tohru is holding tightly to Kobayashi's hand, squeezing and refusing to let go.

Kobayashi glances her way, but Tohru's expression is hidden by her bangs.

It's strange. The rest of the town – the rest of the _world_ – doesn't have any idea what just happened between them. But somehow, they're supposed to go back to living like they'd used to.

For a moment, Kobayashi doesn't move. She can still hear Tohru's little hiccups as tiny droplets fall down around her shoes. Kobayashi gulps.

"U-Um-"

"Tohru-sama, welcome home."

Kanna says what she'd been wanting to say so effortlessly, in a way that almost makes Kobayashi envy her for it. The little dragon scampers up to the door and opens it, her usually-calm eyes sparkling with excitement now.

Tohru lifts her head slowly at the invitation, then shifts her gaze to her mistress. Kobayashi chuckles a little sheepishly.

"Yeah. What she said." She gives a squeeze to Tohru's hand and guides her a step forward. Kobayashi tries out a smile. "Welcome home, Tohru."

It's odd. She's never really been the one to say that to Tohru before. Usually it's the other way around.

Tohru wipes her free arm across her face and sniffles. Her cheeks are red and puffy, but her eyes and smile are bright as ever now.

"I'm home, Kobayashi-san!"

Kobayashi can't help it when a surge of emotion rises up in her stomach. She wipes a tear from her eye and lets out a sigh. Releasing Tohru's hand, she slides her arm up around the girl's shoulders instead.

"Come on. Let's have dinner."

Tohru leans into her side, resting her head on her shoulder.

"Yes!"

* * *

That night, Kobayashi lays herself down in bed like she's done every other night of her life. But this time, it feels different.

 _I can't believe I traveled into another dimension today and watched two dragons fight each other…_

But the shock of experiencing those hectic events only compares to the relief she feels at having Tohru back again.

She stares at the ceiling for a moment, then reaches up to remove her glasses. Tohru had repaired them for her with magic after her father had attacked Kobayashi. Just remembering that now still makes her shudder.

 _That really terrified me… But it was even more terrifying to think he might take her away from me…_

She puts her glasses aside on her nightstand, then begins to situate herself under the blankets. She can already tell she'll be too antsy to sleep well tonight, given how her mind is still buzzing.

 _But it's fine now. Because Tohru is here to stay._

Of course, there's a part of her that fears Tohru's father might come back regardless and take her away. Kobayashi wants to believe he's decided to trust his daughter like she'd suggested, but she doesn't know most dragons well enough to make that assumption for certain.

 _If he does come back, I'll give him another ear-full. I won't let him or anyone else take her away if she doesn't want to go._

There is always the possibility that one day, Tohru might want to leave of her own volition. Kobayashi knows it would be tough to see her go, but she'd much rather Tohru leave because she herself wanted to.

 _But for some reason, I can't ever imagine her wanting to leave…_

And Kobayashi is happy for that. Just a little.

As she's trying to settle her mind enough to invite sleep, a timid knock sounds at her bedroom door. She sits up.

"Yes?"

"K-Kobayashi-san, it's me," Tohru calls softly. "M-May I come in?"

Kobayashi smiles a little.

"Sure."

The door creaks and the girl steps in, still wearing her maid outfit's scales. Kobayashi can tell right away she's flustered and uncomfortable about entering her room at this hour. Which isn't how Tohru would normally behave in this situation.

The atmosphere is already set to something a little more serious than usual as Tohru slowly closes the door behind herself.

"Kanna is already asleep," she announces, as is common practice of her to report on her duties. She flashes her eyes up nervously, but instantly looks down again. Kobayashi pats a spot on the bed beside herself.

"Good work. So… why did you come in here?"

"M-My apologies. I didn't want to intrude on your sleep, but I-"

"It's fine. Come here, Tohru." Kobayashi pats the bed again, giving a verbal cue where the motion alone didn't suffice.

Tohru swallows hard, both hands clutching her chest as she makes her way forward. Kobayashi notices her maid still can't look her in the eyes.

Tohru sits down a little farther away than Kobayashi might've expected her to, but she says nothing. She waits for a moment, looking Tohru over in the darkness.

"So?" she prompts. "What's on your mind?"

She doesn't really need to ask. She knows the things troubling Tohru are the same things that are troubling herself. But she needs to invite Tohru to be honest, or else she might not be.

Tohru fidgets and remains silent for a moment. It seems to take her a lot of effort to tear her eyes away from the floor and finally meet Kobayashi's.

"H-How is your wound, Kobayashi-san?"

"Eh? Wound?" Kobayashi follows Torhu's gaze to the spot on her temple. "Oh, you mean this? It's hardly a wound. Just a scratch. And there's no pain anymore. It's just a bit red now. I'm fine."

Tohru's gaze drops down into her lap again.

"I see. I'm so relieved…" She takes in a deep breath, and Kobayashi hears it tremble in her throat. When Tohru continues speaking, her voice is thin, barely a whisper. "I was… _so_ scared when my father attacked you. I think my heart almost stopped. In fact… it might have, just for a second…" She squeezes her chest tighter, as if to keep her pulse from halting again.

Kobayashi keeps her voice level.

"Yeah. I was scared, too. Your dad's really powerful. But he was only looking out for you in his own way."

"Th-That is no excuse!" Tohru whips around to face her again, her voice rising quickly before she covers her mouth. Tears begin dripping down her cheeks, one by one. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to shout."

"I said it's fine," Kobayashi assures her. She can't help but reach out and place a hand on Tohru's head, petting gently. "You know, Tohru… today was probably the scariest day of my life. I've never had anyone get angry at me like that before. Especially not a dragon. Not even my supervisor is that bad."

"It… It's the same for me…" Tohru's chest jolts with hiccups. "I… I've never been so scared… that he would take me away from you… that he would hurt you, Kobayashi-san…" Another pang shoots through her body, as the mere thought of Kobayashi being injured _because_ of her pains Tohru. Kobayashi shifts a little closer to her.

"Oy, I said I'm fine, remember? He went easy on me."

"B-But-"

"Toh-ru." Kobayashi holds her gaze firmly. "I'm all right. So don't worry about me, okay?"

More tears drip down her maid's face.

"I… I will try… But I can't promise…"

"That's good enough, I guess." Kobayashi continues patting Tohru's head, because she knows it calms her down. After a moment, Tohru's still crying. Kobayashi feels the need to keep talking. "You know… your dad scared the crap outta me. But there was something that terrified me even more. And that was the thought of losing you, Tohru."

At that, Tohru stiffens, then coyly lifts her face again.

"Eh…?"

"I'm serious," she sighs. "I mean… the thought of you being forced to do something you don't want to makes me sick. It kinda makes me angry, too. Part of me wants to give your dad a good hard punch."

"K-Kobayashi-san!"

"I just mean hypothetically," she says. "But you know, it just makes me mad that he didn't even consider your feelings in all of this. It wouldn't be as bad if you were to leave on your own-"

"N-Never!" Tohru blurts out. "I will continue serving as your maid for as long as you will have me, Kobayashi-san!"

"I know," she smiles. "Thanks, Tohru." She ruffles Tohru's hair again, and earns a little sigh of relief from her. "But I just wanted you to know, Tohru. I couldn't stay quiet, even if I had no right butting into your conversation with him. But I think it _was_ my business, too. Since you're my maid."

Tohru whimpers, but nods vigorously.

"Yes… I am… I am your maid, Kobayashi-san. Even before I am a dragon."

Kobayashi smiles again.

"That's an honor, believe me."

"N-No…" Tohru whimpers. "It is… an honor to be your maid, Kobayashi-san. No one has ever… stood up to my father on my behalf before. No one has ever dared…" She shakes her head, and Kobayashi can infer that a part of Tohru is still in disbelief about that. "Thank you, Kobayashi-san. From the bottom of my heart…"

With this, Tohru can't hold herself back any longer, it seems. Kobayashi opens her arms up just as Tohru slumps against her, embracing her with as equal fervor and desperation as she had earlier today, nearly enough to knock her over again. Kobayashi sighs, but wraps her arms around the girl.

"It's good to have you back, Tohru."

Her maid nods quickly, though she can't talk anymore due to the tears spilling over. Tohru's trembling again, crying so hard she's nearly choking on her own breath. Kobayashi can tell it's the good kind of crying. Even so, she doesn't want Tohru to go overboard.

"Easy, easy." She pets through her long twintails and down her back. She's so focused on helping Tohru feel better that Kobayashi barely notices when a tear runs down her own cheek as well.

 _Huh? I think… today was the first time I've cried for someone else… in a long time…_

She smiles, and rests her chin atop Tohru's head, between her horns.

She lets Tohru cry as much as she needs to, letting out all of the bad, hurtful emotions so the better ones can take their place.

"It's okay, Tohru," Kobayashi murmurs. "You're home now."

Tohru clings to her a little tighter.

"Yes… I'm home."

Just for tonight, Kobayashi lets Tohru stay with her. The dragon girl slips out of her shoes and instantly cuddles up to her mistress. At least now there's a smile on her face.

Kobayashi takes the liberty of wiping Tohru's tears away for her, patting her shoulder and running her hand down over her ribs until she comes to a halt over Tohru's wounded side.

Tohru snuggles close. The aura wafting off of her is a mixture of relief, joy, and comfort.

No more pain. No more fear. No more sadness.

Kobayashi knows Tohru is exactly where she belongs.

No matter where they might end up, Tohru will always belong by her side.

It doesn't matter how many more times they might have to move or find new places to live.

Because now Kobayashi understands that 'home' isn't a place at all.

It's a feeling.

One she'll only ever experience so long as Tohru is by her side.

* * *

 **A/N: I have a feeeew more ideas I might be getting around to~**

 **Please review!**


	5. Anniversary

**So it's been a minute since I've done something for this series, but I do still love it and the news of a season 2 got me so excited! I can't wait to see more of my favorite gay dragons~**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon.**

* * *

Chapter 5. Anniversary

Several months after Tohru's father had come for her and failed, peace has returned to the Kobayashi residence. At least, as much peace as is possible when living with two dragons, and knowing of half a dozen more within the city.

Both nothing catastrophic happens, and in Kobayashi's book that's an improvement.

She's been keeping her eye on the date recently, just to ensure she won't forget a certain day. When the morning finally arrives, she's up even before Torhu's gentle wake-up call. It's Thursday, but Kobayashi had done something rare indeed and taken the day off, as well as tomorrow, to make for a long weekend. She hasn't told her housemates yet though, as that would spoil the surprise.

She sits up, stretching her arms high above her head with a groan, pleasantly surprised to feel not a single knot in her lower back.

"Good, good. I don't have time for that crap today anyway."

Her plan is to go about the morning as if she's going to work so as not to give away her plot. So she grabs her glasses, shakes the loose hair out of her face, and begins staggering toward the door. Just as she's about to reach for it, excited footsteps come scampering over from the other side, and a high-pitched voice calls out.

"Kobayashi-san! It's time to wake up! Oh, you're already awake!"

The light from the rest of the apartment comes rushing in to temporarily blind Kobayashi, but even after that effect has faded, Tohru herself is still beaming. If this were some cliché anime or manga, an angel halo would be drawn above her horns, but Kobayashi knows better than to mention that.

"Morning, Tohru," she yawns. "What's for breakfast?"

"I tried something new this morning~! Pancakes!"

"Oh? Let's have a taste."

She follows her bounding maid out into the kitchen where Kanna is already dressed and ready for school, cutting up her own food.

"Morning, Kobayashi."

"Morning, Kanna." She gives the little dragon a pat on the head. "Ready for your field trip today?"

"Mm. We're going to the museum. Saikawa said she'd help me look for dragon fossils."

"Sounds like fun." Kobayashi takes her seat, thanking Tohru as the maid puts down her plate of warm pancakes.

From there the morning continues as per usual, and Kobayashi plays along. She gets dressed and ready as if she'll be going to work, accepting her pre-made lunch from Torhu. As she heads to the door, she gives each dragon a pat on the head, making Kanna purr and Tohru squeal.

"I'll see you guys later."

"Have a good day," Kanna says.

"Koabayshi-san...?" Torhu looks down at the floor a little bashfully, clasping her hands together to twiddle her fingers.

"What's up?"

"M-Might you by any chance... like a ride to work this morning...?"

Kobayashi knows right away Tohru must have remembered the special date, otherwise she wouldn't have made the offer so coyly. Normally she'd just blurt out that she wants Kobayashi to ride her this morning and then pout when she was shot down.

Kobayashi is happy about the offer now, but she can't let Tohru know she remembered as well, or else it would ruin the surprise.

There's also the fact that Kobayashi isn't _actually_ going to work.

So as much as she knows it might hurt Tohru for now, Kobayashi feigns innocence.

"That's all right. I'd rather you stay here and see Kanna off for her field trip."

As expected, Torhu's shoulders sag a little, but she quickly covers it up with a smile and a salute.

"Right! You can count on me!"

Kobayashi smiles.

"I know I can. See you both later." She picks up her briefcase to complete the act, then heads out the door. Once it's closed behind her, Kobayashi lets out a heavy sigh.

 _That was tough. She's definitely upset that I didn't remember the date. Time to make it up to her._

Rolling her shoulders in preparation, Kobayashi heads for the apartment's staircase and goes up instead of down. She climbs to the open roof that had been a deciding factor in their selection of residence, content to find it empty as usual. She puts down her briefcase and removes her formal jacket, rolls up the sleeves of her shirt, and sets to work.

She gathers a pair of large buckets from the supply closet, dumps in a bit of soap, and then fills them each with hose water. Then she grabs a few large scrubbing brushes and places everything together. When she's finished setting up, she wipes her forehead and gives an accomplished sigh.

"All right, time for stage two."

* * *

When it's time for Kanna to head to school, Tohru sees her off with a kiss to her forehead. Once she's alone in the apartment, she gets to her usual chores.

"Okay! Time to tackle the dust! Not a speck shall be left behind for when Kobayashi-san returns!"

She starts by dusting the bookshelves and higher places, gradually working her way down, humming all the while. She _is_ a little upset that Kobayashi hadn't remembered the special date, but Tohru shakes it off.

"She's very busy! It's the middle of the work week for her. Of course she wouldn't have time to remember something so silly."

She retreats to the closet to fetch the vacuum and plug it in. But just before she can turn it on, she perks up to the sound of someone approaching the door.

"Hm? That's odd. We don't have any known deliveries scheduled for today... Must be one of the neighbors."

She leaves her work and scurries toward the door to greet the guest, but pauses when she realizes the person isn't knocking. The door knob is turning, and there's only one other person who has a key. Kobayashi opens the door in her unkempt appearance and steps in sheepishly.

"I'm home."

Tohru nearly falls over in surprise.

"K-Kobayashi-san! You're back! B-But what happened to you?! Your briefcase, your jacket! Were you mugged?! Who did this to you?! I'll eat them whole-"

"Whoa, whoa. Calm down." Kobayashi can see her maid has begun to fume, quite literally, so she puts a pacifying hand on Tohru's shoulder. It relaxes her a little bit, but she's still clearly worked up. Kobayashi sighs. "I was trying to surprise you in a good way, not in a way that'd make you more stressed."

"Surprise?" Tohru parrots. "You were... trying to surprise me?"

"Yeah. Truth is, I took today off of work because I wanted to do something special."

"Something... special...?" Tohru's eyes are already starting to become watery. Kobayashi smiles.

"Yeah. After all, today _is_ the six-month anniversary of the day we met, isn't it?"

The squeal that had been slowly working its way up Tohru's throat finally explodes in a high-pitched yelp of delight.

"Kobayashi-san~!" She throws both arms around her mistress and squeezes her hard. "You remembered! You really remembered!"

Normally Kobayashi would pry her off, but she lets it slide this time. It's a special occasion.

"I'm glad I remembered, too. It's been a bit crazy since you came to live with me, but I'm grateful you did. I wanted to show you my appreciation today."

"Thank you very much!" Tohru squeaks. "This is the best present ever, Kobayashi-san!"

"Hold on." Kobayashi pats her maid's head gently and eases back. "There's more to it than just me letting you hug me."

"There is?!"

Kobayashi nods.

"Come with me." As a special bonus, Kobayashi offers her hand. Tohru makes a squeal of excitement and timidly accepts.

Kobayashi leads her out of the apartment and up to the roof. All the while she can practically feel the bubbly aura of bliss wafting off her maid behind her. Once they reach the roof, Kobayashi reveals her gift of wash buckets and hoses.

"All right," she says. "I think you know what to do."

Tohru gives another squeak of delight, bouncing in place before the veil of magic encompasses her. She shifts form, already blocking perception of herself as she takes her natural shape.

Kobayashi watches, amazed as usual by her size. _I still remember the first few times she transformed in front of me. I used to be almost scared of her..._

She's come a long way since then. They both have.

Once Tohru is ready, Kobayashi has her crouch down in the center of the roof. She rolls up her sleeves and picks up a bucket of soapy water.

"Now you just relax. You're always working so hard for me, it's only fair I repay you a little bit on this special day."

Tohru wags her tail, and if dragons can cry, Tohru gets as close to that as possible.

"Kobayashi-san... I'm the luckiest dragon in the world! I don't deserve you!"

"You do. But it's not about deserving it. I wanna do something nice for you too every once in a while. I should probably do it more often."

"Kobayashi-san! My heart feels like it's going to burst!"

Kobayashi smiles.

"All right. Let's get to it then." She dips a mop into the warm sudsy water, then plops it onto Tohru's shoulder. Even before she starts moving, Tohru is already sighing.

"Kobayashi-san, thank you..."

"Don't mention it. I'm only getting started."

She begins to rub Tohru down one section at a time. Her plan is to do all the scrubbing first and then hose her down completely afterward.

She knows Tohru is entirely capable of cleaning herself off, especially with Kanna there to help. But Kobayashi knows she'll enjoy it from her even more, which is why she wants to be thorough with her work.

She dunks the mop again and gradually moves down along Tohru's flank. The mop that's typically used for floors holds up surprisingly well against the rough dragon scales, but she has a few extras on standby just in case. All the while Tohru sighs and hums and mumbles her mistress' name, lowering her head in relaxation.

Kobayashi gradually works her way around the dragon, scrubbing over one shoulder, all along the top of her back and her wings, then her haunches and tail. Then she circles around the other side and begins working her way back toward Tohru's head. She isn't sure if the sounds Tohru is making are actually purrs, but that's sort of what they sound like in between blissful whimpers.

"Kobayashi-san... I think I love you even more than before..."

"Thanks very much." She's started to sweat a little bit. After all, cleaning off a dragon is a bit more complicated than cleaning off a car. As she scrubs the back of Tohru's neck and horns, the dragon slowly turns her head.

"Kobayashi-san, are you all right? If this is bothering your lower back or anything-"

"Not at all." Kobayashi replies with a confident grin. She doesn't want to make Tohru worry about her when she's supposed to be giving her a present. And besides, her back really doesn't ache any more than it normally does.

Even so, Tohru gives her a worried look, which is a bit odd coming from a giant flying reptile. Kobayashi pats the mop over the dragon's head.

"I'm fine, Tohru. Now lower your head a bit. I'm almost done."

Tohru purrs again as she does as requested. Kobayashi scrubs over her muzzle and chin, then down the underside of her throat to her chest. At last the entirety of Tohru is covered in clean sudsy soap. Kobayashi wipes her arm across her forehead.

"All right, almost done." She puts the mops and bucket aside and picks up the hose instead. She sets the water temperature to lukewarm and takes aim. "Ready?"

Tohru swishes her tail.

"Yes!"

Kobayashi turns on the water and begins rinsing her dragon off. Tohru squeals as much as she can in this form, wagging her tail and curling her claws in delight. The spray cleanses her of any leftover suds, leaving her scales a bright sparkling green.

Kobayashi enjoys the cool misty air herself as she walks around Tohru, hosing her dragon down from the front of her muzzle to the tip of her tail. Tohru gives another happy rumble.

"Kobayashi-san... thank you..."

"Don't mention it. You do plenty for me around here. It's the least I can do." Kobayashi checks her over one more time to ensure she's cleaned off every scale. But just as she's shutting off the water, the lime green barrier blocking Tohru's perception flickers. Kobayashi stops. "Tohru?"

"Mmm..." A sigh is her only response. Her magic flickers again, and Kobayashi bites her lip.

"Ah, Tohru-"

But before she can fret anymore, a familiar bright glow washes over Tohru, indicating she's changing back. When the light fades, Tohru is lying in her human form curled up on her side, fast asleep. Kobayashi sighs.

"Geez, you almost scared me for a second there."

She puts everything away and cleans up the supplies, then makes her way back to her maid. Tohru has a peacefully content smile on her lips. Kobayashi rolls her eyes.

"I guess I'm not surprised."

She crouches down and gathers Tohru into her arms, taking care in lifting her. Her thick tail weighs probably as much as the girl herself does, but Kobayashi manages somehow. Tohru moans softly but doesn't wake, curling closer to her mistress. Kobayashi leans forward slightly, resting her forehead against hers.

"What am I going to do with you?"

With this, she starts carrying Tohru off the roof, back down the stairs, and to the apartment. It's a bit of a struggle to fumble for the key in her pocket without jostling Tohru too much, but her maid is so deeply and blissfully asleep she doesn't even stir.

Kobayashi pushes her way in and lets the door close behind them, then staggers over to the couch. Once there, she slowly lowers Tohru down, and her lower back thanks her for it.

"Geez!" she hisses, putting a hand to her hip. "I'm definitely gonna regret this..."

But then Tohru unconsciously turns toward the sound of her voice and curls up snugly, mumbling with a smile.

"Kobayashi-san..."

Kobayashi heaves a sigh.

"Who am I kidding? I'll never regret this."

She takes a seat beside Tohru, gently lifting her shoulders so the dragon girl can rest her head in her lap. Tohru makes a plethora of cute noises as she cuddles up. Kobayashi runs a hand gingerly between her horns and then down through her hair. She leans back against the couch and yawns.

"Guess I'll nap too... It's my day off, after all."

So she closes her eyes and settles in with Tohru dozing lightly on her lap.

The two of them enjoy their anniversary together, with many more to come.

* * *

 **A/N: Who knows what season 2 will bring! Hopefully more cute moments and fic ideas!**

 **Please review!**


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